Uprise Audio steps forward into summer 2014 with a debut EP from one of a few newly signed artists to the UA family. Waltford, UK based producer Indiji comes correct with two dense subsonic steppers, crafted to appease the soundsystem enthusiast and DJ alike. ‘Darknet’ and ‘Shake The Foundations’ follow up from Indiji’s ‘Machine Dread’ single included earlier in the year on UA’s Live From The Future Extended Edition LP. Both tunes aim to disperse a familiar dubstep sound, in doing so, these tracks deliver with formidable structure and production quality, defining Indiji as a clear-cut ‘must watch’ in the coming years.
‘Darknet’ chimes in at almost seven minutes in duration, not a short tune by any means. This track commences into an eerie synthetic atmosphere. A brief sample asks the listener “You’re not afraid of the dark are you?” immediately following the hook an immense pressurized bassline pumps through breaking the silence of the intro. I really enjoy mixing this style of kick pattern – a staggered kick with the definitive ‘snare on the second beat’ creates a solid sense of movement, and offers the DJ many options when blending with other music. Personally, tunes like this are at the top of my playlist as they offer me a tremendous amount of blending potential, having elements that would stand between another tune, yet defining its’ self in the mix. ‘Darknet’ progresses with subtle accentuations in the percussion. These subtleties as slight as they are, add to the flow of the track across its’ entirety. The sub bass in this tune really delivers full pressure. I enjoyed the movement in the low-end frequencies through out this one, it really harvests a dance floor oriented sound. Indiji was sure to supply the proper dose of mid range growls and grunts, showcasing an attitude he can call his own.
The flipside, ‘Shake The Foundations’ is my pick of the two. This track’s vocal hook sets precedence on the bass weight that is to follow the drop. This one encapsulates all the elements that I enjoy in a tune: distorted / warped vocal sampling, solid movement in the percussion, balanced mid range growls, ample bass pressure and a sense of attitude that harnesses the attention of an audience. ‘Shake The Foundation’ resonates with atmosphere and space, with a brilliant synth melody lingering behind the firm drum line and steppy movement of the sub bass. Trippy vocal clips permeate through the tune periodically, giving a voice to this otherwise vocal-less tune. Indiji’s use of melody in this tune is subtle, almost atmospheric, yet I admire the prominence that melody has as I listen through the track. I have begun to appreciate more so his atmospheres and percussion, and look forward to what future music he is set to release.
These two tracks are ideal components for a ‘deep dubstep’ enthusiast as they are concrete representations of dubstep that hasn’t lost its’ roots. While there is a stalemate within electronic music surrounding a lack of innovation, a track can progress and develop through out, building upon drum elements and atmosphere, switching time signatures and evolving the bass lines. I feel as if some listeners find dubstep to be a tad rigid or repetitive but I urge the listener to put them in a playlist and mix them with other tunes they are feeling. These two from Indiji are heavy hitting tracks that can surely devestate a dance. I can attest to this. I really enjoyed listening / playing these over the last couple of months. And I encourage you to check them out. Big shout out to Caan (Indiji), Edward Seven and to the entire Uprise Audio family. I anticipate the future of this catalogue. The artists involved with this label / collective are incredibly motivated to show the world what good dubstep sounds like.
UA007 is out now and available from Juno Download and the Uprise Audio Store.
